Lining    and     Loading    Cars    of 

Potatoes    for    Protection 

from    Cold 


H.  S.  BIRD 

Investigator 

A.  M.  GRIMES 

Scientific   Assistant 


Warm  air  circulation  in  correctly  lined  and  loaded  car  of  potatoes 


UNITED    STATES   DEPARTMENT    OF   AGRICULTURE 
BUREAU  OF  MARKETS 

CHARLES  J.    BRAND,   Chief 


Markets  Doc.  17 


Washington.  D.  C, 


October,  1918 


SUMMARY 

APPROXIMATELY  75  per  cent  of  all  cars  pre- 
pared  to  protect  potato  shipments  from  cold 
during  the  winter  months  are  either  lined  or  loaded 
incorrectly.  Protection  from  cold  depends  largely 
upon  a  constant  current  of  warm  air  from  the  heater 
directly  to  the  ceiling,  spreading  between  the  ceiling 
and  the  top  potatoes,  thence  through  openings  at  the 
opposite  end  of  the  load  down  to  the  space  beneath 
the  false  floor,  and  from  there  under  the  false  floor 
to  the  heater  again. 

This  document  explains  methods  of  lining  and 
loading  potatoes  in  the  four  principal  types  of  cars 
with  heaters  and  in  refrigerator  cars  without  heaters, 
under  favorable  shipping  conditions. 


LINING  AND  LOADING  CARS  OF   POTATOES  FOR 
PROTECTION   FROM   COLD. 


INTRODUCTION. 

THESE  RECOMMENDATIONS  for  lining  and  loading  po- 
tato cars  for  protection  of  the  shipments  against  cold  are 
based  upon  commercial  practices  and  the  results  of  tests  and 
inspections  made  by  the  Bureau  of  Markets  of  the  United 
States  Department  of  Agriculture.  These  were  supplemented 
by  conferences  with  many  shippers,  loaders,  and  railroad  offi- 
cials at  shipping  points  in  Maine,  New  York,  Michigan,  Wis- 
consin, and  Minnesota,  and  at  the  markets  of  Philadelphia, 
New  York,  Chicago,  and  elsewhere.  The  principles  here  in- 
volved apply  equally  to  cars  from  other  shipping  districts. 
The  specific  lining  and  loading  directions,  however,  were  de- 
signed primarily  for  cars  with  a  heater  in  the  doorway  unless 
otherwise  specified. 

The  investigations  are  being  continued  during  the  1918-19 
shipping  season  and  supplemental  recommendations  resulting 
from  these  may  be  added  from  time  to  time. 

PRESENT  CONDITIONS  UNSATISFACTORY. 

Of  400  cars  of  northern  potatoes  examined  by  Department 
representatives  during  December,  1917,  and  January,  Febru- 
ary, and  March,  1918,  approximately  one-fourth  were  lined 
and  loaded  correctly.  That  is  to  say,  only  one  in  every  four 
was  so  lined  and  loaded  that  the  heater  could  properly  protect 
the  car  even  under  ideal  firing  conditions.  In  the  remaining 
three-fourths,  there  was  always  the  danger  of  overheating  the 
potatoes  at  the  top  of  the  load,  and  at  the  same  time  allowing 
the  potatoes  at  the  floor  to  freeze. 

THE  BASIC  PRINCIPLE. 

When  cars  are  being  prepared  with  linings  and  heaters  for 
protection  against  frost,  it  is  important  to  remember  that  warm 
air  weighs  less  than  cool  air.  Warm  air  from  the  heater,  there- 
fore, rises  directly  to  the  ceiling  over  the  heater  and  there 
flows  and  spreads  out  along  the  ceiling  much  as  water  poured 
into  a  long,  flat  pan  flows  and  spreads  over  the  bottom.  If  the 


4  LINING    AND    LOADING    CARS    OF    POTATOES. 

warm  air  is  not  allowed  to  get  down  to  the  floor,  it  will  pile  up 
between  the  potatoes  and  the  ceiling,  and  the  top  potatoes  will 
become  overheated  and  blackened  at  the  center.  At  the  same 
time,  the  warm  air  is  kept  from  the  floor  of  the  car  and  the 


FIG.  1. — Warm  air  circulation  in  an  incorrectly  lined  and  loaded  car  of 
potatoes.  The  warm  air  from  the  stove  cannot  reach  space  beneath 
the  false  floor  where  it  is  needed. 

potatoes  there  may  freeze.  Figure  1  indicates  the  usual  places 
where  the  circulation  is  blocked.  It  is  a  comparatively  simple 
matter  for  a  heater  to  furnish  enough  warm  air  to  protect  a 
car  of  potatoes  from  freezing  even  in  severe  weather,  but  it 
seems  to  be  difficult  to  have  the  car  lining  built  and  kept  in 
such  condition  that  this  warm  air  can  get  down  to  the  floor 
where  it  is  needed. 

To  accomplish  this,  a  complete  air  passage  the  full  width 
of  the  car  must  be  kept  open  around  the  load,  as  shown  by  the 
cover  illustration.  The  following  points,  therefore,  should  be 
borne  in  mind:  (1)  The  potatoes  must  not  be  loaded  close 
enough  to  the  ceiling  to  block  any  part  of  this  circulation;  (2) 
there  must  be  a  large,  unobstructed  opening  for  the  warm  air 
to  pass  down  to  the  floor  after  it  has  spread  the  length  of  the 
ceiling  from  the  heater;  and  (3)  the  false  floor  must  be  so 
constructed  that  this  warm  air  can  pass  under  it  at  all  points 
back  to  the  heater  again.  This  circulation  is  slow  and  labored 
and  is  limited  by  the  smallest  opening  in  the  space  provided 
around  the  load,  just  as  the  effectiveness  of  a  chimney  is  lim- 
ited by  the  narrowest  place  in  the  flue.  If  the  chimney  flue  is 
partially  blocked  by  soot,  the  fire  below  will  not  draw  well. 
Likewise,  if  the  space  around  the  load  is  partially  blocked  by 
the  potatoes  themselves,  or  by  boards,  shavings,  or  straw,  the 
warm  air  will  not  circulate  as  it  should.  Shippers  cannot  make 
this  point  too  clear  to  the  employees  who  line  and  load  their 
cars. 


LINING    AND    LOADING    CARS    OF    POTATOES.  5 

The  following  recommendations  outline  very  satisfactory 
methods  of  lining  and  loading  the  principal  types  of  cars  for 
the  protection  from  cold  of  potatoes  in  transit. 

BOX  CARS. 

ROUGH  ESTIMATE  OF  LUMBER  AND  PAPER  REQUIRED. 

Following  is  an  estimate  of  the  lumber  and  paper  needed 
to  line  an  8  by  8  ft.  6  in.  by  36  ft.  car  with  doors  5  feet  wide : 

13  pieces,  2  by  4  in.  by  14  ft.  long. 
8  pieces,  2  by  6  in.  by  16  ft.  long. 
1300  square  feet  of  1  in.  lumber,  16  ft.  long. 
2250  square  feet  of  building  paper. 

Saw  the  13  pieces  of  2  by  4  in.  by  14  ft.  into  26  pieces,  2  by 
4  in.  by  7  ft.  Saw  6  inches  off  the  length  of  each  of  the  8 
pieces,  2  by  6  in.  by  16  ft.  Saw  enough  of  the  16  ft.  boards  1 
in.  thick  into  8  ft.  lengths  to  make  a  total  width  of  57  feet  of 
8  ft.  boards. 

Saw  enough  of  the  16  ft.  boards  1  in.  thick  into  6  ft.  lengths 
to  make  a  total  width  of  4  feet.  This  will  leave  a  few  4  ft. 
lengths.  Saw  1  foot  off  the  remaining  16  ft.  boards,  leaving 
them  15  feet  long. 

METHOD  OF  LINING. 

1.  Paper  or  board  over  all  broken  places,  loose  joints,  and 
any  ventilators  or  unnecessary  openings  in  the  car  floor,  walls, 
and  ceiling. 

2.  Paper  the  inside  of  the  car  ceiling,  walls,  and  floor  as 
illustrated  in  figure  2.     All  seams  should  lap  not  less  than  4 
inches.     All  seams  on  the  walls  should  be  lathed,  as  well  as 
those  on  the  ceiling  when  it  is  possible  to  do  so.    The  paper  on 
the  ceiling  should  be  held  in  place  with  laths  nailed  to  the  roof 
supports  or  to  a  light  superstructure  built  in  when  there  is 
nothing  suitable  already  installed.    Paper  should  be  carefully 
folded  over  all  corners  and  lines  where  the  floor  and  walls  join. 

Close  consideration  of  the  principles  involved  in  papering 
the  ceilings  of  box  cars  makes  its  purpose  and  fundamental 
value  clear.  In  the  first  place,  box  cars  are  seldom  tight  around 
the  eaves  and  the  warm  air  leaks  out  before  it  can  pass  1'rom 
the  ceiling  to  the  ends  of  the  car.  It  is  an  established  fact,  also, 
that  the  greater  the  difference  in  the  temperature  of  two  adja- 
cent bodies,  the  more  rapid  the  loss  of  heat  from  the  warmer 
body  will  be.  This  means  that  the  warmth  of  the  air  in  the 
car  will  be  lost  more  rapidly  at  the  ceiling  than  at  the  floor. 
This  statement  does  not  imply  that  the  air  temperature  near 


LINING    AND    LOADING    CARS    OF    POTATOES. 


FIG.  2. — Properly  papered  box  car.   The  ceiling,  floor  and  walls  of  box  cars 
should  be  papered  before  installing  the  false  floor  and  walls. 


the  ceiling  would  become  colder  than  that  at  the  floor,  but 
that  the  rate  of  less  of  heat  at  the  ceiling  is  greater.  Inasmuch 
as  we  are  dependent  on  the  warm  air  at  the  ceiling,  which 
later  passes  down  the  false  end  walls  and  then  under  the  false 
floor,  for  keeping  the  potatoes  warm  at  the  floor,  it  is  of  vital 
importance  that  reasonable  precautions  be  used  to  prevent 
the  loss  of  heat. 


LINING    AND    LOADING    CARS    OF    POTATOES. 


FIG.  3. — The  false  end  wall  studding  blocked  out  from  the  end  of  the  car. 

3.  Spike  9  blocks  about  2  by  4  by  6  in.  each  to  each  end 
wall  as  illustrated  in  figure  3,  so  that  when  the  studding  is 
nailed  to  them  it  will  leave  a  clear  6-inch  space. 


FIG.  4. — False  end  wall  studdinjr  in  place. 

4.  Spike  3  of  the  2  by  4  in.  by  7  ft.  pieces  to  the  blocks  as 
illustrated  in  figure  4.  This  will  make  a  6-inch  space  between 
the  car  end  wall  and  the  false  end  wall. 


LINING    AND    LOADING    CARS    OF    POTATOES. 


JL_ d 


lG.  5a. — Side 
view  of  blocks 
FIG.  5. — The  false  side  wall  studding  blocked  from  the  side  of  the  car.       shown  in  fig.  5. 

5.  Spike  10  blocks  about  2  by  4  by  6  in.  each  to  each  side 
of  the  car  between  the  door  and  each  end,  as  illustrated  in 
figures  5  and  5a.  The  upper  row  should  be  nailed  with  the 
4  by  6  in.  surface  against  the  car,  and  the  lower  row  with  the 
2  by  6  in.  surface  against  the  car. 


FIG.  6. — False  side  wall  studding  in  place. 

6.  Spike  5  of  the  2  by  4  in.  by  7  ft.  pieces  to  the  blocks  as 
illustrated  in  figure  6.  This  will  make  a  4-inch  space  between 
the  false  side  wall  and  the  car  side  wall  at  the  top  r»w  of 
blocks,  and  a  6-inch  space  at  the  bottom  row. 


LINING    AND    LOADING    CARS    OF    POTATOES. 


FIG.  7. — False  floor  stringers  and  blocks  in  place. 

7.  Spike  4  of  the  2  by  6  in.  by  15  ft.  6  in.  pieces  to  the  floor 
in  each  end  of  the  car  for  stringers  to  support  the  false  floor, 
as  illustrated  in  figure  7.     This  will  make  a  6-inch  space  be- 
tween the  car  floor  and  the  false  floor.    Make  certain  that  one 
end  of  the  studding  is  tight  against  the  end  wall  of  the  car. 

8.  Spike  2  by  4  by  4  in.  blocks  securely  to  the  car  floor  at 
the  end  of  each  stringer  as  in  figure  7.    Caution:  Do  not  run  a 
strip  across  the  ends  of  the  stringers  from  side  to  side  of  the 
car.     This  is  a  very  common  cause  of  uneven  heating,  as  it 
blocks  a  large  portion  of  the  warm  air  circulation. 


10 


LINING    AND    LOADING    CARS    OF    POTATOES. 


FIG.  8. — First  layer  of  false  end  wall  boards. 

9.  Nail  8  ft.  lengths  of  the  1  in.  boards  to  the  studding  at 
the  end  of  the  car  (fig.  8).  These  boards  should  form  a  solid, 
tight  false  wall  from  the  floor  stringers  to  the  top  of  the 
studding. 


LINING    AND    LOADING    CARS    OF    POTATOES. 


11 


FIG.  9. — First  layer  of  false  floor  boards. 


10.  Nail  8  ft.  lengths  of  the  1  in.  boards  to  the  false  floor 
stringers  (fig.  9).  These  boards  should  form  a  solid,  tight 
ioor  from  the  false  end  wall  to  the  end  of  the  stringers. 


12 


LINING    AND    LOADING    CARS    OF    POTATOES. 


FIG.  10. — First  layer  of  false  side  wall  boards. 

11.  Nail  15  ft.  lengths  of  the  1  in.  boards  to  the  false  side 
wall  studding  (fig  10).  These  boards  should  form  a  solid, 
tight,  false  wall  from  the  false  floor  to  the  top  of  the  studding. 


LINING    AND    LOADING    CARS    OF    POTATOES. 


13 


Fi«.  11. — Layer  of  paper  over  first  layer  of  false  floor,  side  and  end  walls. 

12.  Paper  the  inside  of  the  lining  over  the  false  floor  and 
walls,  lapping  all  seams  4  inches  or  more  and  carefully  folding 
paper  over  all  corners  and  lines  where  the  false  floor  and  false 
walls  meet.    Lath  all  seams  on  the  false  walls  that  come  above 
the  second  layer  of  boards  specified  in  paragraphs  13  and  15. 

13.  Nail  8  ft.  lengths  of  the  1  in.  boards  to  the  false  end 
wall,  making  a  tight  second  layer  of  boards  from  the  false 
floor  up  30  inches  (fig.  12). 

14.  Nail  15  ft.  lengths  of  the  1  in.  boards  on  the  false  floor, 
making  a  tight  second  layer  of  boards  (fig.  12). 


14 


LINING    AND    LOADING    CARS    OF    POTATOES. 


FIG.  12. — Second  layer  of  false  floor,  side  and  end  wall  boards. 

15.  Nail  15  ft.  lengths  of  the  1  in.  boards  to  the  false  side 
wall,  making  a  tight  second  layer  of  boards  from  the  false 
floor  up  30  inches  (fig.  12). 

16.  Build  in  the  fire  door  with  the  remaining  8  ft.  and  4  ft. 
lengths,  making  sure  that  all  joints  are  tight  and  that  the 
opening  for  the  stovepipe  fits  closely.    If  the  outside  tempera- 
ture is  freezing,  it  is  often  better  that  the  fire  door  be  put  in 
and  the  stove  set  up  before  the  false  walls  are  installed,  so 
that  the  car  may  be  heated  while  the  men  are  at  work. 

17.  Set  up  the  stove  in  the  doorway,  fastening  it  securely 
to  the  floor.    Wire  the  stovepipe  carefully  in  place.    The  regu- 
lations of  each  railroad  should  be  followed  in  this  respect. 


LINING    AND    LOADING    CARS    OF    POTATOES. 


LOADING. 


15 


18.  Heat  the  car  for  at  least  six  hours  directly  before  load- 
ing it  and  longer  if  possible  when  the  outside  temperature  and 
boards  of  the  lining  are  extremely  cold.     When  exceptionally 
warm  weather  conditions  prevail,  this  is  not  always  necessary. 

19.  Load  potatoes  in  sacks  somewhat  as  indicated  by  the 
illustration  on  the  cover.    At  no  place  should  the  sacks  in  any 
portion  of  the  load  come  closer  than  8  inches  to  the  ceiling 
when  loaded. 


FIG.  13. — Bulkhead  across  car  at 
doorway  to  hold  bulk  potatoes. 


FIG.  13a. — Bracing  to  hold  bulk- 
heads in  place. 


20.  In  loading  bulk  potatoes  build  up  the  bulkhead  at  the 
doorway  (fig.  13)  as  necessary.  The  bulkheads  should  be 
made  of  good  1  in.  boards,  or  heavier,  so  cut  that  they  will 
fit  and  may  be  nailed  behind  2  by  4  in.  uprights  nailed  to  each 
false  side  wall  and  a  4  by  4  in.  upright  at  the  center.  The 
center  uprights  of  the  bulkhead  should  be  braced  apart  with 
not  less  than  2  pieces  of  4  by  4  in.  studding  driven  in  place 
and  well  nailed  (fig  13a). 


16 


LIN.ING    AND    LOADING    CARS    OF    POTATOES. 


FIG.  14. — Wind  boards  to  keep  out  cold  winds. 


21.  Nail  the  6  ft.  lengths  of  1  in.  boards  across  each  door, 
making  a  solid  partition  from  the  door  sill  up  to  24  inches 
(fig.  14).    Before  the  car  is  shipped,  it  is  well  to  fill  the  space 
between  the  partition  and  the  car  door  with  sawdust  or  other 
filler  when  it  is  not  necessary  to  open  the  car  door  in  transit. 
This  will  tend  to  keep  out  cold  winds. 

22.  Frozen  fuel  should  not  be  loaded  into  a  car  when  it  is 
possible  to  avoid  it.    Never  allow  frozen  fuel  to  rest  in  direct 
contact  with  any  potatoes.     Load  the  fuel  in  such  a  manner 
that  it  will  not  block  any  of  the  circulation  from  beneath  the 
false  floor.     This  may  require  the  use  of  boards  laid  across 
the  floor  in  front  of  the  doorway  with  the  ends  resting  on  the 
false  floors.    Supply  abundant  fuel  for  the  trip. 

23.  Paper  around  the  doors  and  fire  board  except  where  it 
will  hinder  the  fireman  from  entering  the  car. 

PRODUCE  CARS  AND  CERTAIN  OTHER  INSULATED  CARS.1 

Because  of  the  irregularity  in  the  dimensions  of  cars  of  this 
type,  it  is  impossible  to  give  estimates  for  lumber  required 
for  use  in  all  cars.  The  following  recommendations  are  made : 

1.  All  ventilator  openings,  broken  places,  loose  joints,  drain 
trenches  or  runways  along  the  floor,  drain  pipes,  etc.,  must  be 
carefully  plugged  or  otherwise  boarded  or  papered  over. 


1  This  includes  all  insulated  cars  provided  with  tight  doors  but  not  equipped  with  end 
ice  bunkers,  and  also  refrigerator  cars  with  end  ice  bunkers,  which  experience  has  shown 
to  be  provided  with  so  little  insulation  that  in  the  opinion  of  the  shipper  it  is  necessary 
to  paper  over  the  ventilation  openings  through  the  bulkheads. 


LINING    AND    LOADING    CARS    OF    POTATOES. 


17 


FIG.  15. — Paper  the  floor  and  the  side  and  end  walls  of  produce  cars  up 

24  inches. 


2.  Paper  the  car  floor  and  walls  to  a  height  of  24  inches. 
Lap  the  seams  not  less  than  4  inches.    The  paper  on  the  walls 
should  be  held  in  place  with  lath  and  should  be  carefully 
folded  over  all  corners  and  lines  where  the  floor  and  walls 
join  (fig.  15). 

3.  Spike1  9  blocks  2  by  4  by  6  in.  each  to  each  of  the  end 
walls  as  illustrated  in  figure  3,  so  that  when  the  studding  is 
nailed  to  them  it  will  leave  a  clear  6-inch  space 

4.  Spike  3  pieces  of  2  by  4  in.  studding  to  the  blocks  as 
illustrated  in  figure  4.    This  will  make  a  6-inch  space  between 
the  car  end  wall  and  the  false  end  wall.    The  studding  should 
extend  from  the  floor  to  about  8  inches  from  the  ceiling. 

1  See  footnote  at  bottom  of  page  23  under  paragraph  3  describing  the  method  of  prepa)-- 
ing  refrigerator  cars. 


18 


LINING    AND    LOADING    CARS    OF    POTATOES. 


5.  Spike  four  pieces  of  2  by  6  in.  studding  to  the  floor  in 
each  end  of  the  car  for  stringers  to  support  the  false  floor,  as 
illustrated  in  figure  7.    This  will  make  a  6-inch  space  between 
the  car  floor  and  the  false  floor.     Make  certain  that  one  end 
of  the  studding  is  tight  against  the  car  end  wall.   The  stringers 
should  extend  from  the  end  wall  of  the  car  to  about  even  with 
the  doorposts. 

6.  Spike  2  by  4  by  4  in.  blocks  securely  to  the  car  floor  at 
the  end  of  each  stringer  (fig  7.).    Caution:  Do  not  run  a  strip 
across  the  ends  of  the  stringers  from  side  to  side  of  the  car. 
This  is  a  very  common  cause  of  uneven  heating,  as  it  blocks  a 
large  portion  of  the  warm  air  circulation. 


FIG.  16. — False  floor   (option  "b"  of  paragraph  8)   and  end  wall  in  pro- 
duce car. 


7.  Nail  1  in.  boards  to  the  studding  at  the  end  of  the  car 
(fig.  16).  These  boards  should  form  a  solid,  tight  false  wall 
from  the  floor  stringers  to  the  top  of  the  studding  and  should 
extend  to  about  8  inches  below  the  ceiling. 


LINING    AND    LOADING    CARS    OF    POTATOES. 


FIG.  17. — False  floor  supports  (option  "a"  of  paragraph  8). 

8.  (a)  Nail  sufficient  1  in.  boards,  or  thicker,  across  the 
stringers  (fig.  17),  spaced  so  as  to  support  the  false  floor;  or 
(b)  make  the  false  floor  entirely  of  one  layer  of  boards  cross- 
wise on  the  stringers  as  illustrated  in  figure  18,  in  which  case 
no  space  should  be  left  between  the  boards.  Cars  already 
equipped  with  4  in.  false  floors  with  stringers  running  length- 
wise do  not  require,  of  course,  any  additional  false  floor. 


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T                     T: 

FIG.  18. — False  floor  (option  "b"  of  paragraph  8). 

9.  If  option  "b"  in  paragraph  8  above  is  used,  nail  lengths 
of  ll/£  in.  boards  on  the  supports,  making  a  tight,  false  floor 
from  the  false  end  wall  to  about  even  with  the  doorposts  (fig. 
18).    Note:  If  the  potatoes  are  to  be  shipped  in  bulk,  the  false 
end  walls  (described  in  paragraph  7)  must  fit  tightly  against 
the  car  side  walls  (fig.  16). 

10.  Paper  the  inside  of  the  lining  over  the  false  floor  and 
the  side  walls  to  a  height  of  not  less  than  24  inches,  lapping 
all  seams  4  inches  or  more  and  carefully  folding  paper  over 
all  corners  and  lines  where  the  false  floor  and  walls  meet. 

11.  Fire  doors  should  be  carefully  fitted  and  made  tight  by 
the  use  of  burlap  or  paper.    It  is  recommended  that  the  door 
to  the  left,  when  facing  the  car  from  the  outside,  be  the  one 
to  be  replaced  by  the  fire  door.    The  fire  door  should  then  be 
built  on  the  inside.     This  will  permit  the  right-hand  door  to 
be  opened  and  closed,  and  the  car  may  be  entered  from  either 
side.    If  this  is  done,  it  is  necessary  to  use  burlap  along  one 
side  of  the  fire  door  to  make  a  tight  joint  with  the  car  door 
when  it  is  closed.    If  the  outside  temperature  is  freezing,  it  is 


20 


LINING    AND    LOADING    CARS    OF    POTATOES. 


often  better  for  the  fire  door  to  be  put  in  and  the  stove  set  up 
before  the  false  walls  are  installed,  so  that  the  car  may  be 
heated  while  the  men  are  at  work. 

12.  Set  up  the  stove  in  the  doorway,  fastening  it  securely 
to  the  floor.    Wire  the  stovepipe  carefully  in  place.    The  regu- 
lations of  each  railroad  should  be  followed  in  this  respect. 

13.  Heat  the  car  for  at  least  six  continuous  hours  directly 
before  loading,  and  longer  if  possible  when  the  outside  tem- 
perature and  boards  of  the  lining  are  extremely  cold.     When 
unusually  warm  weather  conditions  prevail  this  is  not  always 
necessary. 


\ 


FIG.  19. — Boards  to  keep  the  bottom  potatoes  away  from  the  sides  of  the 
car.     This  greatly  reduces  damage  by  freezing. 


14.  The  potatoes  at  the  floor  should  be  loaded  not  less  than 
6  inches  away  from  the  sides  and  ends  of  the  car.  In  bulk 
potato  shipments,  this  may  be  accomplished  by  boards  not  less 
than  10  inches  wide  or  by  racks  placed  at  an  angle  along  the 
walls  with  one  edge  nailed  to  the  false  floor  and  the  other 
resting  (not  nailed)  on  the  side  of  the  car  (fig.  19) .  In  sacked 
potato  shipments  the  same  method  may  be  used,  or  the  bottom 
layer  of  sacks  may  be  loaded  away  from  the  sides  and  ends  of 
the  car  and  held  in  place  by  the  layers  above.  This  method 
is  illustrated  in  figure  20. 


LINING    AND    LOADING    CARS    OF    POTATOES. 


21 


FIG.  20. — Sacked  potatoes  loaded  away  from  the  sides  of  the  car  to  pre- 
vent freezing. 

• 

15.  Load  potatoes  in  sacks  somewhat  as  indicated  by  the 
cover  illustration  and  figure  20.    At  no  place  should  the  sacks 
in  any  portion  of  the  load  come  closer  to  the  ceiling  than  8 
inches  when  loaded. 

16.  In  loading  bulk  potatoes,  build  up  the  bulkheads  at  the 
doorway   (fig.  13),  as  necessary.     The  bulkheads  should  be 
made  of  good  1  in.  boards,  or  heavier,  so  cut  that  they  will  fit 
and  may  be  nailed  behind  2  by  4  in.  uprights  nailed  to  the 
doorposts  and  a  4  by  4  in.  upright  at  the  center.     The  center 
uprights  of  the  bulkheads  should  be  braced  apart  with  not 
less  than  2  pieces  of  4  by  4  in.  studding  driven  in  place  and 
well  nailed  (fig.  13a). 


22  LINING    AND    LOADING    CARS    OF    POTATOES. 

17.  Frozen  fuel  should  not  be  loaded  into  a  car  when  it  is 
possible  to  avoid  it.    Never  allow  frozen  fuel  to  rest  in  direct 
contact  with  any  potatoes.     Load  the  fuel  in  such  a  manner 
that  it  will  not  block  any  of  the  circulation  from  beneath  the 
false  floor.    This  may  require  the  use  of  boards  laid  across  the 
floor  in  front  of  the  doorway  with  the  ends  resting  on  the  false 
floors.    Supply  abundant  fuel  for  the  trip. 

18.  Paper  around  the  doors  and  fireboard  except  where  it 
will  hinder  the  fireman  from  entering  the  car. 

REFRIGERATOR  CARS   (EXCEPT  AS  PROVIDED  FOR  UNDER  "PRO- 
DUCE CARS,  ETC.",  OR  UNDER  "INSULATED  CARS 
SHIPPED  WITHOUT  HEATERS"). 

1.  All  ventilator  openings,  broken  places,  loose  joints,  drain 
pipes,  etc.,  should  be  carefully  plugged  or  otherwise  boarded 
or  papered  over,  except  that  when  oil  heaters  are  used  the 
drain  pipes  may  be  left  open. 

2.  Paper  over  the  floor  and  side  walls,  but  not  over  the  end 
walls,  to  a  height  of  not  less  than  24  inches  with  heavy  paper 
(fig.  15),  except  when  prevented  by  permanent  false  floors 
which  are  hinged  or  fastened  to  the  car.     Paper  on  the  side 
walls  should  be  held  in  place  with  lath.     The  sheets  should 
lap  not  less  than  4  inches  and  be  folded  carefully  over  all 
corners  and  lines  where  the  floor  and  side  walls  meet.    In  no 
case  should  any  of  the  bunker  bulkhead  openings  be  papered 
over  or  otherwise  blocked,  except  where  false  end  walls  are 
used  as  provided  for  under  "Produce  Cars,  etc.",  or  "Cars 
Shipped  Without  Heaters." 


LINING    AND    LOADING    CARS    OF    POTATOES. 


23 


FIG.  21. — False  floor  stringers  in  place  in  well-constructed  refrigerator  car. 


3.  Lay  4  pieces  of  2  by  4  in.  studding  on  the  floor  in  each 
end  of  the  car  for  stringers,  the  2  in.  side  against  the  floor 
(fig.  21) .    Do  not  nail  these  to  the  floor.1    The  stringers  should 
be  evenly  spaced  parallel  to  the  sides  of  the  car  with  one  end 
tight  against  the  ice  bunker  bulkheads.     The  two   outside 
stringers  at  each  end  must  be  in  the  same  straight  line. 

4.  Fit  a  2  by  4  in.  piece  as  a  brace  between  each  of  the 
two  sets  of  stringers  described  in  the  last  sentence  of  para- 
graph 3  (figs.  17,  18,  and  21).     These  braces  should  be  laid 
with  the  4  in.  side  flat  on  the  floor  and  the  ends  securely  toe- 
nailed  to  the  stringers.    Do  not  nail  these  to  the  floor. 

5.  Nail  good  l1/^  in.  boards,  or  heavier,  across  the  stringers, 
making  a  solid  false  floor  from  the  door  posts  to  within  6 
inches  of  the  ice  bunker  bulkheads  (fig.  18).    It  is  important 
that  this  6-inch  space  between  the  ends  of  the  false  floors  and 
the  bulkheads  be  left.    This  is  shown  in  figure  22.    Each  board 
must  be  well  nailed  to  all  four  stringers  to  keep  them  from 
turning  on  side.     At  least  occasional  boards  must  extend  to 
each  side  wall  to  keep  the  false  floor  from  shifting  sidewise. 

1  The  new  refrigerator  car  equipment  of  the  country  is  of  generally  very  good  construc- 
tion and  well  insulated.  Driving  nails  through  the  car  floors,  walls  or  ceilings  destroys 
the  insulation.  Such  practices  cannot  be  condemned  too  severely.  A  high  grade  refrig- 
erator car  represents  a  large  initial  and  upkeep  cost,  and  it  transports  perishable  produce 
of  a  much  greater  value  annually.  The  carriers  and  shippers  must  co-operate  to  save  this 
high-grade  equipment.  The  obligation  is  mutual  and  is  a  moral  one. 


24 


LINING    AND    LOADING    CARS    OF    POTATOES. 


6.  Fire  doors  shall  be  carefully  fitted  and  made  tight  by 
the  use  of  burlap  or  paper.    It  is  recommended  that  the  door 
to  the  left,  when  facing  the  car  from  the  outside,  be  the  one 
to  be  replaced  by  the  fire  door.    The  fire  door  should  then  be 
built  on  the  inside.     This  will  permit  of  opening  and  closing 
the  right-hand  door,  and  the  car  may  be  entered  from  either 
side.     If  this  is  done,  it  is  necessary  to  use  burlap  along  one 
side  of  the  fire  door  to  make  a  tight  joint  with  the  car  door 
when  it  is  closed.    If  the  outside  temperature  is  freezing,  it  is 
often  better  that  the  fire  door  be  put  in  and  the  stove  set  up 
before  the  false  walls  are  installed,  so  that  the  car  may  be 
heated  while  the  men  are  at  work. 

7.  Set  up  the  stove  in  the  doorway,  fastening  it  securely  to 
the  floor.    Wire  the  stovepipe  carefully  in  place.    The  regula- 
tions of  each  railroad  should  be  followed  in  this  respect. 

8.  Heat  the  car  for  at  least  six  continuous  hours  directly 
before  loading,  and  longer  if  possible  when  the  outside  tem- 
perature and  boards  of  the  lining  are  extremely  cold.    When 
unusually  warm  weather  conditions  prevail,  this  is  not  always 
necessary. 


FIG.  22. — Keep  this  space  open. 

9.  The  potatoes  at  the  floor  should  be  loaded  not  less  than 
6  inches  away  from  the  sides  and  ends  of  the  car.  In  bulk 
potato  shipments  this  may  be  accomplished  by  boards  not  less 
than  10  inches  wide,  or  by  racks  placed  at  an  angle  along  the 
walls  with  one  edge  nailed  to  the  false  floor  and  the  other 
resting  (not  nailed)  on  the  side  of  the  car  (fig.  19).  In  sacked 
potato  shipments  the  same  method  may  be  used,  or  the  bottom 
layer  of  sacks  may  be  loaded  away  from  the  sides  and  ends  of 
the  car  and  held  in  place  by  the  layers  above.  This  method 
is  illustrated  in  figure  20.  Caution:  Where  boards  are  used 


LINING    AND    LOADING    CARS    OF    POTATOES.  25 

to  give  this  protection  at  the  bulkheads,  care  must  be  taken  to 
leave  the  opening  for  ventilation  4  inches  in  the  clear  from  the 
bunker  through  the  ventilation  opening  and  under  the  false 
floor  (fig.  22). 

10.  Load  potatoes  in  sacks  somewhat  as  indicated  by  the 
cover  illustration  and  figure  20.    At  no  place  should  the  sacks 
in  any  portion  of  the  load  come  closer  to  the  ceiling  than  8 
inches  when  loaded. 

11.  Load  bulk  potatoes,  building  up  the  bulkheads  at  the 
doorway   (fig.  13)   as  necessary.     The  bulkheads  should  be 
made  of  good  1  in.  boards,  or  heavier,  so  cut  that  they  will 
fit  and  may  be  nailed  behind  2  by  4  in.  uprights  nailed  to  the 
doorposts  and  a  4  by  4  in.  upright  at  the  center.     The  center 
uprights  of  the  bulkheads  should  be  braced  apart  with  not  less 
than  2  pieces  of  4  by  4  in.  studding  driven  in  place  and  well 
nailed  (fig.  13a). 

12.  Frozen  fuel  should  not  be  loaded  into  a  car  when  it  is 
possible  to  avoid  it.    Never  allow  frozen  fuel  to  rest  in  direct 
contact  with  any  potatoes.     Load  the  fuel  in  such  a  manner 
that  it  will  not  block  any  of  the  circulation  from  beneath  the 
false  floor.     This  may  require  the  use  of  boards  laid  across 
the  floor  in  front  of  the  doorway  with  the  ends  resting  on  the 
false  floors.    Supply  abundant  fuel  for  the  trip. 

13.  Paper  around  the  doors  and  fire  board  except  where  it 
will  hinder  the  fireman  from  entering  the  car. 


INSULATED  CARS  SHIPPED  WITHOUT  HEATERS. 

Comparatively  short-haul  potato  shipments  without  the  use 
of  heaters  are  made  in  certain  sections.  This  method  should 
be  adopted  only  in  high-grade  refrigerator  cars  in  good  con- 
dition. 

The  cars  should  be  prepared  as  are  refrigerator  cars  except 
for  the  heater  and  fuel.  If  there  is  any  possibility  that  the  car 
may  have  to  be  heated  later,  the  space  beneath  the  false  floor 
should  be  kept  clear  from  all  obstructions  and  the  ventilation 
openings  through  the  ice  bunker  bulkheads  should  not  be 
papered  over. 

In  addition  to  these  precautions  the  following  recommen- 
dations are  made : 

1.  Heat  the  car  for  a  period  of  not  less  than  12  hours  di- 
rectly before  loading,  except  that  when  unusually  warm 
weather  conditions  prevail  this  is  not  always  necessary. 


26  LINING    AND    LOADING    CARS    OF    POTATOES. 

2.  Use  not  less  than  two  heavy  layers  of  straw  with  alter- 
nate layers  of  building  paper  for  added  insulation  between 
the  potatoes  and  the  false  floor  and  car  walls. 

3.  Ship  potatoes  in  this  way  only  when  the  temperature  is 
about  40  degrees  F. 

CARS    WITH    HEATERS    PERMANENTLY    INSTALLED. 

Certain  of  the  heater  cars  in  use  protect  potato  shipments 
from  the  cold  quite  satisfactorily.  It  is  expected  that  the 
future  will  bring  great  improvements  in  this  class  of  railway 
equipment. 

Heaters  permanently  installed  as  a  part  of  the  car  equip- 
ment can  have  the  decided  advantage  of  applying  the  heated 
air  from  beneath  the  car  directly  to  the  space  beneath  the  false 
floor  where  it  is  needed,  while  with  the  temporary  heaters  in 
use  the  heated  air  must  first  pass  to  the  ceiling  before  circu- 
lating down  to  the  floor.  These  cars  come  with  false  floors 
and  walls  installed  and  are  ready  for  loading.  At  the  present 
time  their  use  for  potatoes  in  the  United  States  is  restricted 
mostly  to  shipments  from  Maine,  Wisconsin,  Minnesota,  North 
Dakota  and  Washington. 

Approximately  the  same  rules  should  be  used  in  loading 
these  cars  as  in  loading  refrigerator  cars. 

CAR  LOADING  DOCUMENTS  OF  THE  U.  S.  BUREAU  OF  MARKETS. 

Factors  in  Transportation  of  Strawberries  from  the  Ozark  Region. 
Markets  Doc.  8. 

Loading  and  Transporting  Western  Cantaloupes.     Markets  Doc.  10. 

Heavy  Loading  of  Freight  Cars  in  the  Transportation  of  Northwestern 
Apples.  Markets  Doc.  13. 

Loading  American  Grapes.     Markets  Doc.  14. 

Copies  of  these  documents  may  be  had  as  long  as  the  available  supply 
lasts  by  application  to  the  Division  of  Publications,  United  States  Depart- 
ment of  Argiculture,  Washington,  D.  C. 


A 


